The Verge - Transformer Prime GPS issues: complaints, updates, and a hardware solution

Asus begins shipping free Transformer Prime GPS dongles

2012-04-26T05:02:01Z

In what may be the final chapter of a lengthy chronicle, Asus has started sending out free GPS dongles to Transformer Prime owners affected by the tablet's location-fixing woes. A Droid Life reader has already received a GPS Extension Kit, as the manufacturer is calling it, so those of you who registered ten days ago should be getting yours soon. The kit should fix what successive firmware updates weren't able to, but remember — it's a pretty bulky add-on, and you won't be able to use the Prime's keyboard dock or charge the tablet at all while it's attached. If this sounds like an inelegant solution, you could always wait a little while for the Transformer Pad Infinity, which fixes the GPS issue with a new rear cover design.

Asus opens up registrations for Transformer Prime GPS dongle

2012-04-16T17:24:02Z

It looks like the Asus Transformer Prime GPS saga is coming to a close. After complaints about poor positioning performance, Asus has announced that it is going to give owners a free GPS dongle that should drastically improve the accuracy and speed of lock-ons. Now the company has officially opened up the program, and if you own the Tegra 3-powered tablet you can register to have the dongle shipped to you. Unfortunately, the dongle — which plugs into the proprietary docking connector at the bottom of the tablet — is quite larger than we were hoping for and it cannot be used in conjunction with the keyboard accessory. Asus doesn't provide an estimated shipping date, but the offer will end come July 31st. If you want to avoid having to...

Asus confirms Transformer Prime GPS dongle, signups begin April 16th

2012-04-07T16:04:00Z

We heard on Thursday that Asus was working on releasing a free GPS dongle to Transformer Prime owners to help fix some of the tablet's positioning woes, and now the company has confirmed to AllThingsD that the rumors are true. Details are still slim, but Asus says that it will reveal the full program come April 16th, when it will allow customers to register for the dongle on their website. Unfortunately, the company has not said whether or not the accessory will be offered free of charge. Either way, it looks like you may be able to use your Transformer Prime's GPS sooner rather than later — the company says it'll take "around two weeks" to ship the dongles after registration. We still haven't caught a glimpse of the accessory, but x...

Asus prepping free dongle to address Transformer Prime GPS woes?

2012-04-06T01:16:57Z

Owners of the original Asus Transformer Prime have been complaining about problems with the device's GPS since it first landed in customer's hands, and a subsequent teardown revealed a hardware design issue as the possible culprit. According to a post in the xda-developers forums, Asus is readying a solution to the problem: a GPS dongle. The post details an email exchange with an alleged Asus product manager, who claims that the add-on will be provided for free to existing TF201 owners, and is designed to look similar to the device's hinge. Another poster then chimes in, who claims to have been testing the device. The dongle is described as "minimalist" in design, and is said to use the Prime's proprietary connector, fitting flush...

Asus Transformer Prime update improves GPS performance?

2012-01-19T07:56:11Z

The latest twist in the Asus Transformer Prime saga is here, with an over-the-air firmware update that supposedly goes some way to improving the tablet's much-maligned GPS performance by updating the driver — if posters on xda-developers are to be believed. We'll have to get our own confirmation of this, as a teardown of the Prime and subsequent announcement of a redesigned model seemed to indicate that the GPS issues were inherent to the hardware design. One thing the update definitely does seem to do is break root access for anyone who's that way inclined, though it looks like it's simple enough to get it back. In any case, we'd exercise caution, and will let you know our own impressions of the update as soon as possible.

Asus Transformer Prime TF700T official with 1920 x 1200 res and new design to improve GPS

2012-01-09T14:30:00Z

Asus is today introducing the TF700T, a new variant of its Eee Pad Transformer Prime tablet, whose major upgrade is a move to a 1920 x 1200 resolution. That makes two Android tablets moving to a 1080p res at CES 2012, following Acer's unveiling of the Iconia Tab A700 yesterday.

The new Transformer Prime isn't sacrificing quality for quantity with its move to a much higher pixel density — its display is still made of the SuperIPS+ stuff that impressed us so much when reviewing the TF201. Another highly significant upgrade is in the tablet's rear cover design, which has been altered to allow for better GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth performance. Great for new buyers, to be sure, but we wonder how happy owners of the current-gen Prime will be...

Asus Transformer Prime teardown reveals cause of GPS issue

2012-01-04T17:19:01Z

Asus's GPS troubles with the Transformer Prime don't seem to have been easily resolved by the recent firmware update, and Anandtech claims to have the answer. A teardown of the Prime didn't reveal much untoward, but does show that the spotty GPS reception is down to the tablet's fundamental hardware design. Unlike the original, plastic Transformer, the Prime has a fully aluminum body which doesn't play too nicely with wireless signals, and unlike the iPad there's no RF window or speaker grill to mitigate it (it's worth noting, though, that the Wi-Fi-only iPad with which the Prime directly competes doesn't have a GPS unit at all). For its part, Asus has admitted that the tablet's design does hinder wireless performance, and has removed...

Android 4.0 coming to Asus Transformer Prime on January 12th, bootloader unlock tool to follow

2012-01-03T17:28:52Z

It's been a big week for the Eee Pad Transformer Prime — Asus released yet another firmware update for the tablet, and now we have official confirmation that Android 4.0 will be coming starting on January 12th. Asus made this announcement on its Facebook page alongside news that it will be providing owners with a bootloader unlocking tool. The presence of a locked bootloader had been a major point of contention for users since it was discovered a few days ago, so it's good to see Asus responding so quickly. The company noted the lock was in place to enable Google video rentals, and that users will have voided their warranty and be unable to rent videos if they use the bootloader unlocker.

Asus also addressed the GPS issues that some...